The Past Comes Back
by Wildestdreams1972
Summary: When Jules' past comes strolling through the front door, she must confront the friend-and life- she left behind.
1. Chapter 1

Jules Callaghan entered the air-conditioned building, yawning lazily. The seemingly never-ending summer days overflowed with thick,oppressive heat, exhausting even the most lively person. Air-conditioning was a welcome balm from the draining environment outside.

As she traveled upstairs, via the elevator, she absentmindedly wondered what the day would bring. Secretly, she longed for a quiet day filled with paperwork and inventory.

She exited the elevator and strode out onto the floor, pausing by the dispatcher's desk to greet her. Winnie, the day shift dispatcher, halted her task, and motioned towards the briefing room.

"Jules you have a visitor," Winnie informed her. Jules nodded, eyes searching out the unknown person. Once she spotted her, Jules' heart stopped in her chest.

Gretchen Sean sat in a chair, gaze affixed out the window.

Jules dazedly headed towards the spacious room, confused like never before. How in the world had Gretchen found her? She'd left that life far, far behind. And had never looked back.

Gretchen heard the approaching footsteps, and hesitantly raised her head. Amelia was staring at her with a look of confusion, hair pulled back in a ponytail.

"Gretchen?" Amelia wondered.

"Amelia!" Gretchen cried. Amelia shushed her, glancing around before firmly closing the door.

"I don't go by that anymore," she explained, sitting down. "I go by Jules. Julianna Callaghan."

Gretchen nodded, studying the other woman. She'd aged, wrinkles and lines appearing where there used to be smooth skin.

"Why are you here? How did you find me?" Amel-Jules inquired.

"Saw you online. Female SRU officer of the year, huh?" Gretchen chuckled.

"Yeah," Ameli-Jules admitted.

"Why'd you leave? You know we promised to stick together,"Gretchen reminded the other woman, voice shaking slightly.

"I had to. Circumstances forced my hand," she responded, mindlessly drawing circles on the table.

"Where'd you go? What'd you do? What…" Gretchen pleaded, seemingly lost for words. Jules sighed.

"I'll tell you the story tonight. Not here. They…my team, they don't know. And that's the way I'd like to keep it," Jules told the other woman. Gretchen nodded, and rattled off her phone number before leaving.

Jules sighed, and scrubbed her calloused hands over her face, burdened by all the secrets she held. A peal of laughter could be heard through the now-open door, and Jules grinned at the familiar sound. No way I can ever stand to lose this, she thought to herself.

A few members of Team One stood in a cluster, observing the unknown person exiting their floor. The woman appeared pretty, they noticed, tall with blonde hair and an easy confidence. Their gazes swung towards the conference room, where Jules stood in the doorway, lost in thought.

Ed Lane, team leader and tactical leader, broke away from the group, striding over to Jules.

"Hey Jules," he greeted. "Who, uh, who was that?" He inquired.

"Oh, her?" Jules responded. "She's just an old friend."

When Jules seemed reticent to offer any more information on this "old friend", he raised an eyebrow.

"And this old friend's name is…?" He prompted. Jules sighed.

"Gretchen Sean. Friends since childhood," she murmured.

He nodded in affirmation, and privately noted to research the name later.

"Well then go suit up, we're about to go over the day's plans and expectations," he instructed her. She bobbed her head and ran off to do as ordered.

The day passed rapidly, dread and anticipation raging within Jules. She experienced difficulty in taking an active role in the day, instead drifting through as if through a dream. Most, if not all, of them realized this and became concerned.

No one felt greater relief than Jules at the day's end. She sighed contentedly upon entering the locker room, hurriedly stripping before re-dressing.

Ed approached Spike in the locker room.

"Spike," he murmured. "I need ya to run a name for me. Gretchen Sean."

Spike stared at his TL for a moment, confused by the request, but nodded anyways. He sat down on a bench, and slid a shiny laptop out of its protective case. Rapidly, his fingers danced over the keys, locating results within seconds.

"Gretchen Sean," the young Italian gestured. "Born and raised in La Crosse, WI. She went to Concordia College, graduated with a degree in Early Childhood Education. Parents are still living, and….oh," he halted all speech.

"What?" Ed questioned, confused.

"It says here that she ran away when she was 16 years old, her and her best friend. They found her a year later at seventeen, but the friend was never found. Says here that Gretchen claims she last saw the friend the night before police found her. She's still listed as missing."

Ed mused over this new piece of information.

"Can you find out the friend's name and what she looked like?" Ed requested.

"Sure," Spike replied, fingers moving over the keys once more. "Name was…Amelia VanBuren, and…," he showed the screen to Ed.

"Look familiar?" He asked.


	2. Chapter 2

The restaurant enjoyed a steady stream of customers on a warm summer's night. Despite the number of people, the noise level was not overpowering, and each patron could hear their companions' words. Jules sipped at the cool water, nerves gripping her intensely

Gretchen entered the sizable restaurant, eyes surveying the place before finding Amelia. Even though she went by Jules now, Gretchen had been calling her Amelia far too long to just quit overnight. In preparation, she took a deep breath and marched over to the table.

"Hey," she greeted, pulling out a chair and sitting down. Amelia returned the greeting, long fingers fidgeting with the silverware.

The waitress, a pretty, young girl of about 18, arrived at their table then. Both ordered Pepsis, neither feeling the urge to consume alcohol. With a polite smile, she left, promising to return soon with their beverages.

"So…," Gretchen began, eyebrows raised. "Explain," she ordered.

Amelia opened her mouth, ready to beg forgiveness for the abandonment, when:..

*SRU Headquarters*

"Is that..?" Ed questioned, reticent to believe it.

"Yup," Spike affirmed.

As much as Ed longed to deny, there wasn't any way to deny it. They were looking at a picture of a young Jules Callaghan.

"That means….she's lied to us this entire time. She didn't grow up in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Hell, she's not even from Canada," Ed pointed out, and rubbed a hand over his face.

"Yeah," Spike agreed, hurt and angry at his teammate's blatant deception. He trusted her, trusted her immensely. And now come to find out that a six year friendship was nothing more than a lie unnerved him.

"What're we gonna do?" Spike questioned.

"Call Sarge," Ed responded, pulling out his phone.

*Back at the restaurant*

"I left," Amelia began. "I left because I couldn't go back. There were so many things happening, things not even you knew about. Once you started seriously considering going back home, I knew we had to split. I'm sorry for abandoning you, honestly I am, but it was what was best for me at the time. And I can't regret it because it led me here."

The waitress returned then, delicately setting their drinks on the table. They denied appetizers, and claimed to need more time deciding on dinner.

Gretchen considered Amelia's words. A part of her still keenly felt the grief at losing a close friend, but another still raged with anger.

"Was it that easy to leave me behind?" Gretchen wondered.

Amelia stared at her for a moment, before nodding.

"Yes. Because I knew what the best decision for me was at the time. And I can never regret putting myself first. So yes it was easy to leave you behind," Amelia confessed.

Though she'd never admit it, Amelia had always felt a certain disconnect when it came to people. She could love them immensely and yet become frighteningly cold and callous towards them at times. It scared her to death.

"Was it all a lie then?" Gretchen questioned hostilely.

"No," Amelia assured. "I just had to look out for myself. I regret you got hurt, though."

Gretchen nodded. Her response was on the tip of her tongue, when a gunshot silenced the room.


	3. Chapter 3

Jules grabbed Gretchen's arm, yanking her to the floor. From a hidden side holster she pulled out a pistol, and laid a finger on the trigger. Cautiously, she raised her head, attempting to identify the shooter.

Wordlessly, with her right hand, she slid a black cell phone out of a pocket. Hurriedly, she typed out a message and sent it.

 _10-33_

 _Riverside Restaurant, Humbolt and Cherry_

 _1 active_

 _No joy_

Gretchen's heart thudded in her chest. Fear gripped her like never before. Her hands, thin and pretty, shook uncontrollably.

Unexpectedly, they heard a voice.

*SRU HQ*

Ed typed in Greg's phone number, and brought it to his ear, mind whirring. None of this made any sense at all. How could someone so trusted, so valued, cunningly deceive them, deceive them all, so thoroughly?

"Hello?" Greg answered.

"Greg, you gotta come to the locker room. Me and Spike have something to show you. It's about Jules."

Greg listened, and nodded, though they couldn't see.

"Alright, be down in a sec," he responded.

Greg shut the phone, and added one last signature to the paperwork he'd been reviewing. Then he slid it all into a folder, and set it on a nearby table.

Ed was pacing anxiously when he entered. Spike looked shock, brown eyes wide with disbelief.

"Boss, Jules isn't who she says she is," Ed began.

Abruptly, Greg's phone chirped. Frowning, he glanced at the screen and saw a text from Jules. It read:

 _10-33_

 _Riverside Restaurant, Humbolt and Cherry_

 _1 active_

 _No joy_

Coinciding with the text, the siren rang out.

"Hot call, hot call. Shots fired, Riverside Restaurant," Winnie called out.

"Team One, gear up. We got an officer in trouble there," Greg ordered, exiting the locker room.

Ed and Spike exchanged a look of concern, before doing as the boss said.

"Boss, I thought we were off shift?" Wordy questioned, striding towards Greg.

"We were, until Jules texted me," he responded, waving his cellphone.

Wordy studied him for a moment more, before turning and following Sam into the locker room. The SRU had a policy; if a member of a team got caught in a negative situation, the team he/she belonged to was automatically given the assignment.

Greg rubbed a thick hand over his face as the team assembled. This worried him more than he wanted to let on.

Silently, he prayed that Jules would come out alive:

*Back at the restaurant*

"I want to speak to Amelia VanBuren! Right the hell now!" A man's deep voice commanded.

Jules forgot herself and stood up, shocked to the core.

"Tommy?"


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you all for the kind reviews! Please continue to review, because it helps me improve. Also, to everyone who says I made a Power Rangers reference, you'll have to enlighten me, considering I've never watched Power Rangers.

Tommy Priest whirled around, a malicious grin in place on his aged face. Amelia stood a short distance from him, gun clutched in her left hand. Damn she looked good.

"Amelia VanBuren," he chuckled. "Long time no see."

"Yeah, I suppose so. Please tell me though: why are you here?" Amelia inquired.

"I've been thinking about you a lot lately. Guess you could say it's become a sort of obsession of mine. Girl spurns lover by sneaking away in the middle of the night, well, that can really hurt a guy's pride. So when someone informed me Gretchen over here had found you and was planning to come visit, I decided to tag along so me and you could talk," Tommy responded.

Jules' hands shook slightly at the sight of him; terrible memories returning with a vengeance.

"Yeah, we can talk," she agreed. "But so you really need all these people here? I mean you got what you wanted, so why don't you let some of them go?" Jules coaxed.

He considered this for a moment, summer sky blue eyes surveying the room, observing the terrified expressions painted across each person's face. Most people sat frozen at their tables, though some had fallen to the floor with fear.

"Alright," he agreed. "10 people will be allowed to exit, but only if they do it efficiently and peacefully. No funny stuff, okay?" He shot the frightened crowd a terribly intimidating glare, waving the gun still in his possession.

Wasting little time, he counted off 10 people. With great trepidation, they rose and shuffled towards the thick glass doors.

As if on cue, a siren's call rang through the air.

Tommy cursed, wildly swinging towards the door.

"Who called the damn cops?" He shouted, rage lining his features. Silence reigned in the tense atmosphere because no one knew the answer. Jules tensed up, and bit her lip anxiously.

Unexpectedly, the phone located on the hostess's podium, began to ring.

*In the SRU trucks, 10 minutes prior*

Greg muted his mike, and motioned for Ed to mimic him. Ed did so, and shot Greg a concerned glance.

"Explain what you meant by 'Boss, Jules isn't who she says she is', Eddie," Greg commanded.

"Look, you know that girl that showed up at HQ today? The one that Jules talked to? Well, Jules gave me her name. Gretchen Sean. Says they've been friends since childhood. So I get Spike to run it and lo and behold, she's got a record. This Gretchen ran away at sixteen, was found a year later, only they never found the friend who ran with her. Girl's name is Amelia VanBuren. I get Spike to get a picture of this girl, and who else could it be but our own Jules Callaghan. So there's something fishy going on, is all I'm saying," Ed informed him.

Greg sighed.

"I know, Eddie," he said, eyes affixed on the road.

"What?" Ed responded, in a disbelief coated tone.

"I'll explain later," Greg told him, and flicked on the siren.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Sorry for the a)short chapter and b) late update but I'm on vacation right now and having fun so that's why. Hope you enjoy! ALSO, _no this is not a JAM story_. This is a Jules-centric story, and primarily focused on betrayal, friendship, angst, and pain. So sorry to all the shippers out there!

Ed stared out the window, astonished. A million questions formed in his head, but he had enough professionalism to leave it until later. And there would most definitely be a later.

"Do we have any information on the shooter?" Ed inquired, eyes anxiously studying their surroundings.

"Yes," Spike responded. "I was able to hack into surrounding cameras, and found a face. Facial rec pulled up a match, a guy by the name of Tommy Priest. Coupla priors, mostly small time. Grew up in La Crosse, WI, and apparently attended school with, you guessed it, Gretchen Sean. The girl from earlier. They attended Riverdale High together."

Silence reigned in the speeding SUV as Ed realized the connection. Tommy knowing Gretchen would most likely mean he'd know Jules-Amelia?-too, which could explain why he was here. That had to be it.

Smoothly, the two SUVs and the command truck pulled up outside, sirens still blaring, though no one in the restaurant seemed to notice. The shades hadn't been drawn, giving them an excellent view inside. Jules stood in the middle of the restaurant, gun clutched in one hand. Her mouth moved, inaudible words spilling out of it.

"Let's try to get an ear in there," Greg muttered, and dialed the number for the restaurant. Ed, meanwhile, conferred with Sam and Wordy on tactical plans. Spike had entered the command truck, fingers frantically flying over the keys.

The phone rang once, twice, and three times before the line was picked up.

"Hello?" Jules answered.

*In the restaurant*

"You should answer that," Jules informed Tommy.

"Why?" He questioned.

"Because they," she began, gesturing towards the scene outside, "can help you. If you'll let them. We can work this out, but you gotta meet them halfway and answer the phone."

Tommy considered her words, before picking up the phone off the podium and tossing it towards her.

"You answer," he commanded.

Jules pressed the "accept" button, and lifted the phone to her ear.

"Hello?"

*Outside*

Greg exhaled with relief at hearing that familiar voice.

"How's it going?" He inquired.

Jules took in a shaky breath, and glanced around.

"Everyone's fine, just a little scared," she responded.

"That's good to hear. Do you know what this guy wants, what his demands are?" He asked.

"Yeah. He wants me," she told him.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thanks to everyone who's left such kind reviews! They really make my day! Sorry again for the short chapter, but keep in mind I am on vacation. Keep reading, and reviewing!

"Okay, well do you know why this is?" Greg inquired, dazed by the new revelation.

"Yes," she confessed. "Look it's not what it seems, but…."

Anything else that she would have revealed was cut short by a sudden, unexpected gunshot.

"Hang up the phone!" Tommy directed, and leveled the gun at her head. Fear welled up within her; sweat formed on the back of her neck.

"I've gotta go," she told Greg, and promptly tapped the "end" button.

*Outside*

Greg cursed, and yanked off his hat.

"We just lost communication," he muttered into his ear piece, irritated by the unexpected turn of events.

Ed exhaled heavily, studying the generous building before them.

"Only one way in, and that's through the back door," he informed Greg. "Wordy's trying to get the key from the owners, but they're dragging their feet. Heaven knows why," disgust coated his tone at their unwillingness. Their teammate was stuck in there, and the goddamn owners decided now was the time to be uncooperative.

Both men shook their hairless heads at the revelation, each more terrified than he was willing to admit.

*Inside*

"Okay, I did what you asked," Jules informed Tommy, raising her hands calmly in the air to show no harm.

Tommy grinned a maniacal grin.

"Peachy, now go sit down by Wretched Gretchen over there and shut the hell up," he ordered her. She complied easily, unwilling to anger him further.

Gretchen snarled at the offensive nickname from years gone by, but remained silent. Exploding with anger would only result in him being angered, and then he'd start shooting. She shuddered at the thought of anyone there dying, crimson blood staining the floor.

*Outside*

"Boss, they finally coughed up the key," Wordy held up said key. Greg nodded with satisfaction.

"Alright, let's get a move on then people! We got an officer in trouble, so let's try to get everyone out alive. We spook this guy and he'll start shooting," Greg told the team. In unison, they nodded, and went to work on their assigned tasks.

"I'm gonna attempt communication again," Greg communicated to Spike, who bobbed his head in response.

He picked up the phone and dialed, hoping against hope that it would be answered. He'd just about given up when….


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Thanks to everyone being so patient! I'm done with my vacation unfortunately :(, but that means more chapters. As many of you may have noticed, I've begun a new, Sam-centric story called Evading The Truth. Please go check that out and leave a review! Check out my profile for update schedule!

Also, special shoutout to Purpwithapen! She's an awesome reviewer and never has a bad word to say to anyone. I appreciate the love she's shown me immensely. Go give some love to her stories!

"What the hell do you want, pig?" Tommy snarled.

Greg sucked in a breath, exhaling slowly.

"I want to get everyone out of there safely and alive. But you gotta work with me here. So, why don't you start by telling me why we're all here today?"

"Because she," in the restaurant, Tommy jerked the phone towards Jules. "is a fucking liar, and deserves to pay for what she's done!" He shouted, aggravated to the highest degree.

"Care to clarify? That was a little vague, and doesn't give me a whole lot to go on," Greg told him.

"You all think she's some angel, but let me tell you, she's deceptive as they come. Must be, to have you all fooled. Take a hint: look up the Marina Gang, and leave us the fuck alone!" Tommy screamed, chest heaving and face flushed with rage. Livid, he slammed down the phone, and whirled around. Jules gulped. She'd tried so hard to prevent a situation like this from coming to fruition for years, alas, all in vain.

"Spike," Greg spoke. "You got that?"

"Got it," Spike confirmed. "Looking up the Marina Gang now."

"How we doing with tactical Eddie?" Greg inquired.

"Entering the building now," Ed informed him in a low murmur.

Greg nodded, even though Ed couldn't see him. He longed for some way to expel the emotions swirling wildly within him.

Ed Lane slipped the key into the lock, turning and opening it with a near-noiseless snick. Nodding at Wordy, he reached out a gloved hand and pulled the door open, motioning the others inside. Rapidly, but silently, they entered the building, minds and hearts focused on one thing only.

Get everyone out alive and well.

Jules sat on the floor, ordered there by Tommy after the tumultuous phone call with Greg. Her mind whirred, attempting to configure a way out. Tommy was in such a volatile mood that trying anything would only result in bloodshed.

She shut her eyes tightly and began to pray earnestly. Gretchen wept silently beside her, thin shoulders shaking. Jules longed to comfort her but felt any words she could muster would be rather useless. They were stuck, and the future didn't look bright.

Team One was efficient, and amazingly good at their duties, but they'd never seen the kind of violence and depravery Tommy Was capable of. Only she'd seen that; one reason why she'd escaped in the dead of night.

She was about to open her mouth and suggest they work this out, when Tommy's phone rang, loud and tinny. He answered it, and she started to create a plan.


	8. Chapter 8

Tommy spoke calmly into the phone, a total change in demeanor from his rage-fueled one they'd witnessed a few moments ago.

Jules' mind raced, attempting to shape a plan. So many lives were at stake, and she had to at least try to save however many she could.

Tommy finished his call, and whirled back around, eyes scanning the room.

"Hey Tommy, let's get back to our original deal, huh? Let some of these people go?"

Tommy considered this before shaking his head violently.

"No, that deal is over. OVER. Do you hear me? That deal was made before your little band of buddies rushed in to try and save you," he snarled.

"Too bad they're not gonna get the chance to try," with that, he leveled the gun at her head for what must have been the millionth time.

Silently but efficiently, they slipped down the hallway, checking the banquet room and storage closets for unknown hostages. Finding none, they continued going, steps light on the tiled floor.

They approached the dining room from the rear. At the beginning of the call, they discovered the buildings surrounding the restaurant were one-story, ranch-style buildings with no chance for a Sierra position. So if any kill shots were to be taken, it would be face-to -face. Each noiselessly prayed no blood would be spilled.

A waiter's cart sat at the back of the restaurant, plates of food spoilt now. On one such plate sat a cliché metal cover, allowing them to tuck into corners and observe the occurrences by way of reflection. Sam unconsciously stepped forward a smidgen when he spotted Jules with a gun to her head.

Jules knew, beyond a reasonable doubt, that she would die. There was nothing more to be done, except shut her eyes and pray that it wouldn't hurt.

Jules glanced over at Gretchen, and sighed.

"Don't watch," she pleaded.

An unexpected gunshot rang through the room. Jules felt the spatter of blood hit her, spraying her face with the crimson liquid. She hesitantly opened her eyes and nearly collapsed with relief at the sight of Sam, Ed, and Wordy.

Tommy lay on the ground, face forever twisted with anger. His sable brown eyes had never shut, eyes she'd once found beautiful before she realized how much anger and hate and revulsion they really held.

"Room's secure. Subject neutralized," Sam spoke lowly into his ear piece. Jules nodded, and clenched shaking hands. Tonight had affected her in various ways, ways she wasn't entirely comfortable admitting, not even in her heart of hearts.

Gretchen stood on shaky legs and rushed over to Jules, collapsing once the full extent of what had occurred tonight was realized. Jules gripped her tightly, muttering reassurances into sweat-soaked hair.

The three men exchanged a look, and exhaled slowly, grateful their comrade was unharmed. Each knew though, that the effects of the treacherous night would be felt long after it's close.

A/N: Still more to come! Stick around to find out what happened to make Jules leave in the middle of the night! Shoutout to all my faithful reviewers!


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Thanks for reading! I know some readers, esp. Purpwithapen, will be upset that the big explanation isn't in this chapter, but I promise it's coming! Next chapter for sure.

Keep reviewing, favoriting and following! Also, make sure to check out "Memories Don't Have to Hurt" and "Evading the Truth"!

On with the story!

Sluggishly, Jules climbed out of her car and trudged towards the front door. Tonight had exhausted her in every possible way, and all she longed to do was sleep for a thousand years. The guys had appeared nervous at leaving her alone but she insisted on it, if only to gather her thoughts and process the emotional toll of the night's events.

Once inside, she stumbled into the living room and collapsed on the couch, tears sliding down her cheeks. Tears because someone had died, tears because she had lived, tears because her past was dirty and violent and now she'd have to relive it all, recount it all to the people who mattered most.

Eventually, the continuous flow of tears halted, and she sank into a deep sleep.

Xxxxxxx

Unwittingly, she awoke at 2:45 a.m., head fuzzy. Details of the previous night were forgotten until she realized that she was on the couch. Then, it struck her with a vengeance.

Jules stood up and used the bathroom, before she shuffled into the kitchen and poured a glass of orange juice. Tears once again slipped down her cheeks at a steady pace because her first love was dead, and his death was a violent one. Yes, he'd taken her trust and her innocence and misused them for his own nefarious purposes, but she'd still loved him.

Her heart raced in her chest as the memories of Tommy, and what he'd done to her, washed over her in a sickening wave.

 _Sniper breathing Jules_ , the woman reminded herself.

Unwilling to deal with the memories any longer on the emotionally taxing night, she popped a couple Benadryl and laid down, wishing for oblivion.

Xxxxx

The morning dawned bright and sunny. Jules groaned as her living room was swathed in golden sunlight, falling across her face and awakening her. She swung her feet over the side of the couch, and stood up, steeling her nerves.

 _It'll be okay_. _You can do this_ , she told herself.

Even though she knew pity would be blatant in their expressions, along with concern and familial love, she was eager to go to work, because work was the one place that she'd always felt safe at. Work was where she'd discovered people who loved her, and never judged her. People who consistently had her back, and proved themselves in every aspect.

How would they react when they discovered her betrayal? She shuddered at the thought.

Xxxxxx

Ed Lane laced up his boots, and scrubbed a hand over his face. So many questions about last night would be answered, but he wasn't sure he was ready to hear said answers. If his suspicions were correct, the answers would rip apart the very fabric of Team One and irrevocably alter it.

For once, he'd found a good thing. Honest, selfless, hardworking, respectable were all adjectives that described Team One. He'd worked with less-than-stellar teams in the past, and was terrified at the thought of the team splitting up.

Selfishly, he felt anger towards Jules. She'd dragged them all into her mess, and they'd all paid the price for it. Braddock tended to beat himself up endlessly whenever he took a life, no matter if they deserved it or not.

Rationality kicked in a few moments later. She'd done what had felt natural-reaching out to family when you were in a jam. They'd all done the same thing at one point or another, so he couldn't be too upset. Just a little upset.

Also, another point was the whole "Amelia/Jules" thing. Had she done the impossible-fooled the entirety of Team One? Deceived them all in a heartbeat?

Privately he wondered-had he placed his trust in the wrong person?


	10. Chapter 10

Jules gazed upon the imposing SRU building, towering above her slight figure. Deeply, she inhaled, exhaling on a sigh, and strode determinedly towards the building.

 _It'll all be okay_ , she thought.

Inside the building, nothing had changed. Seeing the sameness of it all provided a rock in the storm-something for her to cling to when nothing felt familiar. A slight bit of her anxiousness evaporated.

While the elevator smoothly slid to the top, she gathered her chaotic thoughts and outlined the things she wanted to say. So many things she longed to tell them, things they had a right to know.

 _Tell them the truth, and they'll understand_ , Jules thought.

Once she arrived on the topmost floor, her stomach plunged. A sickening feeling of nauseation stirred in her stomach, and she nearly threw up. Against her will, Jules forced tense shoulders to straighten, and marched towards the briefing room.

Xxxx

Earlier…..

Sam slammed his fists into the thick punching bag rhythmically, confused and wary at the same time. Everything he'd believed in had been flipped upside down, and shaken for good measure. He really didn't know who or what to trust.

Blood gushed from knuckles that had spilt open, and Sam cursed.

"Haven't done that in a while," Wordy commented from behind Sam.

"Haven't done what?" Sam snarled, angry with himself.

"Become so overwhelmed with emotion that you forgot-intentionally or not- to wrap your knuckles," Wordy responded evenly.

Sam sighed.

"Yeah well, there's been a lot going on lately," Sam muttered, staring at the crimson color that stained his hands.

"I know this has to be hard on you," Wordy sympathized. "But we'll get this all out straightened out."

"But what if she's been lying to us this whole time. What if none of this is what we thought, and we were taken for a ride by the smoothest con artist to ever exist? What if we trusted someone and are now paying the price?"

"Then, we'll deal with that bridge if we come to it, but let's not worry about that. I'm sure there's an explanation, and if there's not, well then that's okay. And we'll get through it, okay? You know I'm here for you," Wordy reminded him.

Sam jerkily nodded his head.

"Come here," Wordy embraced the younger man, not commenting on the tears staining his shirt.

Xxxxx

Back in the present….

Sam laid his arms on the table, and coolly observed Jules crossing the room. She appeared nervous, and a little bit frightened, but didn't allow her steps to falter. A spark of pride lit within him at seeing her resolve, and determination.

The entire team had gathered in the briefing room, though no one really spoke. Each seemed to be lost in their own thoughts, contemplating the situation. As if on cue, they lifted their heads in unison at her entry.

"Okay, so obviously a lot has happened these past few days. You all probably have a lot of questions, but please let me explain first," Jules requested, taking in a shuddery breath.

"First of all, I'm not who I say I am. My name is not Jules Callaghan, but rather Amelia VanBuren. I was not born and raised in Medicine Hat, Alberta, but rather La Crosse, WI. I do have four brothers and a father, but we haven't spoken since I was 17 years old.

When I was 16 years old, I became involved with Tommy Priest. He was good-looking, intelligent, and kind. Or so I thought. But I soon learned he wasn't who I thought.

Tommy was a drug runner for the Marina Gang, and a hit man besides. I only discovered this after I overheard a phone call between him and another member of the gang, discussing the murder of a local police officer. I'd also seen a list of all his transactions.

There was another thing too. Tommy was abusive towards me. Not physically, though it did come close, but emotionally. And he liked to pressure me into sex, even though I wasn't ready.

Because of everything I knew, and everything he'd done, when I was 17 years old, me and Gretchen ran away. Except the plan all along was for me to convince her to go home, and then I'd cross the border. The U.S. Marshals set me up with a new identity, got me into college, and the rest is history.

Greg only knows because he handled things on the Canadian side. In fact, he was the one who convinced me to go into Criminal Justice, and who got me the job with the SRU," Jules concluded.

The room had gone dead silent.

A/N: The big reveal! Did it live up to your expectations? Leave me a review and let me know!


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